Santorum's full-page Iowa message: No surrender

Rick Santorum, who is making a play for Iowa's evangelical and social conservative voters in advance of the Jan. 3 caucuses, is taking out a full-page ad in the Des Moines Register and other Hawkeye State papers on Monday to make his case for why social issues should be at the forefront this cycle:

In the text of the ad, Santorum says, "A number of Republican leaders have suggested that the best way to win back the White House is to call a truce on talking about social issues. Issues like abortion, marriage, school prayer, and immigration. In my book that’s not a truce…it’s a surrender!"

The reference to Mitch Daniels' much-discussed call for a "truce" on social issues

He goes on to talk about issues like abortion, marriage, expelling "God from public, or decide we will no longer enforce the laws of our land, is the day we surrender all our founding fathers created."

"I believe what makes America exceptional is not just our economic potential or our remarkable innovation, but the fact that we are a moral enterprise," Santorum goes on in the ad. "As President, I will protect America's moral foundation, empower American families and build America's economic freedom. And I won’t compromise on my values to do it."

Santorum has been polling low for months, but he remains an anti-Mitt Romney option for social conservatives who have issues with the frontrunner.

He also received, as we noted earlier, some kind words from Sarah Palin last night on Fox News, and made a pickup with an evangelical supporter who has a large congregation. Time is running short, but Santorum may be able to make his case.